Switching off from work

Time for a break!

Will you switch off?

That time of the year has arrived, it’s summer holiday season…Yay! We know this because the daily polite exchange with colleagues has ventured past ‘What did you do on the weekend?’ to ‘Are you going anywhere nice this summer?’  

Across society it’s almost become a prerequisite that people take time out over the summer. With this carries a weight of expectation that you will relax and unwind, and then return to work refreshed and re-energised, but this isn’t always the case. Travelling itself can be stressful, especially if you have a high-energy child who’s in need of constant entertaining. That thought of just lounging around doing nothing feels like a dream, rather than a restorative reality. And then there are the questions of what’s going on at work. With the potential to suffer from professional FOMO (fear of missing out), the risk is that at the end of your vacation, you’ve not actually managed to get the down time you need. Your holiday has gone in a flash, and you’re left still waiting for that moment of relaxation. It’s hard not to feel robbed! 

 

Why is switching off so important? 

As I’ve said before, the pace of life seems to be accelerating, leaving us all feeling like things are more hectic than ever before. Compounding this feeling is a belief that everyone expects an immediate response, where technology enables this by ensuring we are accessible all the time. So, the combination of the world around us throwing up unsettling events like a pandemic, extreme weather and political instability, along with inability to properly switch off means that we live in an anxiety producing environment, where our minds are constantly ticking at a faster rate. The consequence is that time feels like it is flying by, and our level of resilience is constantly being tested. This makes it more important than ever for us to use the precious moments we get to switch off, decompress and saviour much needed rest and recuperation. 

 

Simple advice for switching off 

Whilst the above probably feels a bit doom and gloom, when working with leaders who need a break but who are often reluctant to fully switch off, I share a few tricks. Ensuring they are mindful of the need to plan to switch off, these simple pieces of advice are proven to help busy professionals return from holiday feeling revitalised no matter how busy it was. 

So, what is the advice? Well, here are my 3 most important things you can do in advance of your holiday to set you up for a seamless period of switching off.  

1. 1. Plan for the down time – make sure you’re not carrying over issues into your holiday. This includes making sure your teams are set up to operate without you. 
   2. Set clear rules about access – my preference is don’t take work devices with you and only give your personal details to someone you know will only contact you if it is truly an emergency.  
   3. Keep it in perspective – if you were truly out of touch for more dramatic reasons (i.e. in hospital) it is unlikely that the world would fall apart without you there and so don’t create an artificial dependency on you.  

Using these points, my further advice is:  

1. 1. Create Time. First, I always advise people is that it takes about 3 days away from work to let your mind fully unwind and for work-based patterns of thought to dissipate. So, don’t panic that you don’t feel relaxed straight away… it will come.  
   2. Mindfulness. When you have a moment that brings you joy, whether it be the sun on your face whilst lounging by the sea or laughing over boardgames with your family – stop to appreciate that moment. Contemplate that moment, breathe it in or take a mental snapshot. The more times you do this across your holiday the more memories you have of calm, relaxation or joy which will build up an overall feeling of satisfaction. Part of the reason we feel like time flies by is that we don’t create new memories, and so why not do this deliberately.
   3. A quick check in. If you really feel you need to check in with work – be strict. Limit it to a quick check every few days.  Think about when you check, don’t do at the start of the day where it could affect your entire mood and not at bedtime either when you can’t action anything. Find a quiet moment during the day when you feel relaxed and prepared. Finally, don’t respond to anything that is not urgent, don’t take onboard the issues just facilitate the resolution by forwarding to others that could fix it.

In summary, all too often we fail to get proper down time because we believe we should be more contactable than is needed. We all need down time to recharge, otherwise the base load of pressure is maintained, and we lose perspective. By putting in clear boundaries and maintaining perspective we recharge and operate at our best.  

If you would like some further support, contact Rob@purposefulleader.co to set up a free call.